Thursday, January 29, 2009

Looking back to May '08 when we received our referral and then our first court date in June....I remember thinking there is no way I can wait a whole month to bring these babies home....and as closures and rainy seasons continued our wait through the summer....and as a new document delayed us further through the fall and winter....today we await our next court date ...March 24th. Spring. Wow. This court date will be a full 10 months since our referral. The pain of missing our babies... and the hurt I carry for them having even one more day without their family...well that pain never leaves. But I am so grateful that I still can walk these days with peace in my heart.

Isaiah 64 For when YOU did awesome things that we did not expect, YOU came down, and the mountains trembled before YOU. Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any GOD besides YOU, WHO acts on behalf of those who wait for HIM.

So we continue to wait. And to look forward. To the day that b and y can come home.

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Some people ask....how do you stand waiting like this? I've answered that question before in other posts but each season we wait looks different. Winter is definitely harder as there is not as much "to do" to stay busy. But we are normal people like everyone else on this journey of adoption....we ride the same roller coaster of ups and downs. Our ride is a bit longer than the ticket we originally purchased....but we are still on the ride. As we approach our 7th court date that we will most likely not pass....we are sad and at peace at the same time. Crazy too!

Here is a short list of the top things that help us wait:

1. Friends...near and far that offer words and deeds of encouragement

2. Pictures and videos of B and Y....they are priceless to us. We just received a CD full of wonderful pics yesterday....like "manna" to us....the pictures and blessings of updates keep coming and sustaining us....thanks Heather!

3. Indulging in too many things to list...but for example....on Friday we skipped a day of "homeschooling" and went hiking and fishing, we had dinner at Houston's (my fav) and I had a nice cold Coke and a club sandwich and fries with Ranch....all my favorite comforts! And I probably had chocolate...just a guess....

4. LOTS of reading.....I love good fiction and one day need to post all my latest favorites. I am reading "the Glass Castle" that a sweet friend recently recommended. It is good so far!

5. Reading, soaking in, thinking about God's Word. LONG time ago (July) I did a post about Moses....how the Lord was teaching us all about His love of adoption and about His plans for us. Well I keep going back to Moses..... how God's mighty faithfulness is so evident in this story. And meditating on God's promises to the Israelites...helps me to remember His promises to me and His faithfulness TODAY! God is sovereign....I say that with complete joy and trust. I know he is control. Yes we are very sad about more waiting. But I do trust more today than I did a year ago...so I am thankful for that.

I have been thinking a lot about the 10 plagues and that time in history....how harsh the plagues were and how hard life must have been during that time....how many women must have longed for stability and freedom for their families....how their "waiting" must have been....yet how it was all done for God's Glory....not because God is starving for attention....but because His Glory brings His people to Him, it draws His people to true and eternal life.....and that is GOOD!

Then the LORD said to Moses, "Go to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart and the hearts of his officials so that I may perform these miraculous signs of mine among them that you may tell your children and grandchildren how I dealt harshly with the Egyptians and how I performed my signs among them, and that you may know that I am the LORD." Ex 10.1-2

God was sovereign over Pharaoh's heart and God had a plan for all that happened...I trust in God's plan today for us. We are sad, this is so hard....we will all rejoice when this waiting is OVER. But I do still rejoice in the lessons I've learned....in God's faithfulness and provision for us all every single day. We know that it is NOT Gladney or some Eth. govt. agency in control....we know without any doubt that God is in control!

We will likely have to wait for a new court date, looks like March?? I am so sad to wait until spring, maybe summer....I hate that so many "seasons" keep passing by without B and Y being in our home and with us. And I hate winter....so I am anxious for this cold season of waiting to be over. We will keep you posted! Thanks so much for all your words and prayers!

Saturday, January 24, 2009

Just a quick update on where we are with the adoption. It has been 8 months since our referral, B and Y are now 20 months old and both seem to be doing very well. We are still waiting on the needed document. We have our 6th court date on this Thursday the 29th. We are praying for a miracle, that the document will be signed and delivered on time for court....will you please pray with us? We are also prepared (because it is very likely) to not pass court again. While we really really really want to pass this week and finally bring our babies home....we are really really really trying to trust in God's timing and rest in His peace.

The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song. Psalm 28:7

Thursday, January 01, 2009

Beau here. Nat and the kids headed out of a trip this morning, so I am solo for a few days. Spent this morning studying John 1-2 and listening to a couple sermons from Chan. Got me to thinking a bit about New Year's Resolutions. I am not in to that more years...but toyed with idea this morning.

Normal question we ask is "what do I want different (start or stop) in 2009?" This morning I turned the question to "what does GOD want me to be about in 2009?" You see, "not my will, but Your will be done..."

So as I looked back on recent weeks and what I have wrestled with, the following resolutions come to mind.

1. Bible study - In recent weeks I have been wrapping up The Journey for 2008 and outlining a plan for 2009. So I have a plan which I anxiously started on Christmas Eve with launching a three month study of the Gospel of John to be followed by some Old Testament minor prophets that revolve around the topic of discouragement.

2. Family Discipleship - I want to keep doing what I am doing with the kids (specifically daily Bible study and capturing teachable moments) and continue growing as a daddy. As a husband, I have a lot more that needs to be done, and I have been studying the marriage topic in Scripture to align my heart with God's. As God reveals, I need to respond.

3. What else - This is the exciting part where I get to wait and see. Don't know what God has in store, but I want to hear, respond, and see God's glory.